The Wishing Well
by Jen Drake
Summary: When Hermione finds a legendary wishing well, she gets something completely unexpected. Something that could change everything.


Title: The Wishing Well

Rating: G/PG

Pairing: Hermione/Draco friendship

Summary: When Hermione finds a legendary wishing well, she gets something completely unexpected. Complete.

Hermione couldn't think as she stood beside the round wall, peering over the rocks and down into the dark cavern below. It looked simple and old and not at all magical. Yet, according to legend and several volumes of text, it was not simple, but it was old and very magical. It stood about four feet tall at the base and was about three feet across. The cobblestone-type rocks were mortared together and Hermione had feeling it was more than just mortar holding the stones together. Only magic could hold something so old together.

Two thick but rather rickety looking birch branches reached up a few feet holding up the very worn A-frame roof that covered the small structure. The roofing was not made of wood or stone, but of what looked like straw and as she backed up a few feet to look at it, she was certain that it was straw. Magical straw, as silly as it sounded, magicked to stand the test of time and weather. A much thinner and ironically stronger looking birch branch stretched across the circular hole and Hermione saw a small crank handle sticking off one side. Tied very tightly to the branch was a piece of thin, worn looking rope, of which she was certain a bucket was attached to at the bottom of the cavern. Stepping back a few feet again, Hermione studied the object.

Pieces of the birch bark were peeling off and that combined with all the characteristics, made the small well she stood in front of look rather rustic. Her thoughts clouded with doubt for a moment, wondering if she were at the right spot. This well didn't look magical at all, she mused to herself again. There were no signs, as it wasn't something one wanted to broadcast. The well was a legend and listed in many books, but never its exact location.

It made sense to her though- one couldn't list the street address of a magic wishing well to the public. No, then there would be hoards of people, all lining up to wish and have things blessed in the water of the well. Life would cease to go on as it had for centuries. Everything would be too easy, any problem overcome with magic, and that was the last thing any world, least of all the Wizarding world needed. Magic made things easier already, Hermione couldn't imagine using magic to solve every problem life threw at a person.

It was her last resort, this wishing well. The famed wishing well that every great witch and wizard had visited at least once, more for guidance than for a wish. And sitting in the small meadow of a forest, Hermione felt just like Snow White. Legend said the well granted any wish. And the wish Hermione wanted granted was vital to their survival.

As with all magic, there were limitations to the well. One couldn't wish for a million galleons. One couldn't manipulate free will as one could with a spell. One couldn't wish for something to appear instantly, to pop out of thin air. As she stared at the well, Hermione wondered whether or not this entire thing would work. It _had_ to work. They were running out of options.

Reaching into her pocket Hermione pulled out a shiny gold galleon. She'd considered throwing in a bronze knut or a silver sickle but had decided that in case the magic gods were greedy or picky, she'd best throw in the best. Walking up to the edge, she leaned slightly against the stone wall. Then, before she dropped it in, she paused, hand over the hole, just next to the rope. _What if the water had dried up?_ She didn't think the well would work the same if there were no water. So she pulled her hand back and put the galleon back in her pocket.

She spun around, looking for something small and hard to drop inside. She had to find out if there was water in the well. After centuries, she would be surprised if there were water, especially since the well had been hidden for decades. She grinned when she found a small rock. She retrieved it and moved closer to the well, leaning over it. After taking a deep breath, Hermione dropped the rock and then leaned over the well, ear facing downward. It felt like hours but was only seconds before she heard a very definitive _splash!_

Hermione let out a sigh of relief before pulling the galleon back out of her pocket. She had to think of what she was wishing for, have that be the only thought she had when the galleon hit the water. If it was anything except what she was wishing for, she wasn't sure it would work. Of course, she wasn't sure this was going to work anyway.

A light breeze picked up, blowing the leaves up from the ground. With the galleon in her hand, she repeated the same phrase over and over in her head. _I wish for the key component to defeating Voldemort to make itself known. I wish for the key component to defeating Voldemort to make itself known. I wish for the key component to defeating Voldemort to make itself known. I wish for the key component to defeating Voldemort to make itself known._ She repeated it several times until she was certain she'd missed the sound of the galleon hitting the water. Then for good measure, she repeated it a few more times.

She stepped back from the wishing well and waited for a moment. She felt foolish after a few moments of waiting because she knew the legend went that nothing materialized or happened immediately, yet she'd expected just that. She bit her lower lip before she turned and walked out of the clearing. She hoped that it had worked. Hermione needed for it to work.

It was later that day after she'd taken a train to Hogsmeade that she was able to see Hogwarts. Their last year. Harry and Ron were planning to go look for horcruxes and Hermione was going to join them, she knew. The thought of leaving school, however was unbearable and she found herself avoiding thought patterns where that happened. She wasn't sure how she was going to let six years of schooling go down the drain and not graduate from school.

It was a Hogsmeade weekend, one that Hermione was surprised Professor McGonagall had allowed and it was easy for her to slip back in with her school mates. The air was cool for September and she wished she'd brought her coat or at least a cloak. Instead, all she had was the thin thermal tee she'd been wearing all day. She pulled the sleeves further down her arms and shivered a bit. She was passing Zonko's and was surprised when she saw a flash of red hair that she knew belonged to one of the Weasley twins. They must have been comparison shopping. Either way, it was a surprise. She supposed that Harry and Ron were inside Honeydukes getting sweets but she didn't stop as she passed by.

Hermione continued past the candy shop and headed back to the Hogwarts carriages. She chose the nearest one and climbed inside, thankful that the wind wasn't able to blow through it.

"Great," she heard a low voice mutter. She looked across the carriage and was surprised to see a strapping young man with white-blonde hair sitting across from her. The thresteral that she knew Malfoy was probably ignorant to, started pulling the carriage and they were trapped together. "Just what I need."

"I'm not any more pleased about this than you are, Malfoy," Hermione spat at him, frowning at the young man before her.

"You'd best respect-" Malfoy started to order her.

Hermione cut him off, "I'll respect you when you've done something to earn it, you git!" Hermione's voice raised itself a bit. She didn't foresee that happening anytime soon.

"Where's your precious Potter? Or your boyfriend?" She knew he was referring to Ron, but she still corrected him and informed him they were only friends. "Trouble in paradise?" was his response.

"You have no idea what kind of trouble I have, Malfoy," Hermione found herself saying before she could stop herself. Malfoy's response to that was to raise an eyebrow at her, his grey eyes looking a bit more blue than usual as he looked at her.

"Well enlighten me," he drawled, leaning back in the seat further, his arms folding across his chest.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him before she looked out the window. She shook her head slightly and continued staring at the scenery. It was starting to get dark and she was glad she'd managed to catch one of the earlier carriages back to school, even if she did have to share the space with such unsavory company. She could feel Malfoy's eyes on her, feel him studying her as if she were something very interesting.

"What?" she snapped, turning her attention back to him.

He simply smirked at her and shrugged his shoulders before he shook his head and looked out the window. Hermione frowned. He was baiting her. She knew it, but she'd reacted to it just the same.

Her thoughts went back to the wish she'd made and doubt crept into her mind. _What if it didn't work?_ That thought brought tears to her eyes. She blinked back the tears and sniffed just once, but it was enough that Malfoy snapped his attention back to her.

"Are you crying, Granger?" he asked slowly as if he couldn't believe it. Hermione didn't respond at all, she simply looked at her hands. Hermione hoped that if she ignored him and pretended she hadn't heard a thing, that he wouldn't press the issue. Instead, he leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees and peered at her curiously. "Granger?"

"What?" Hermione all but growled at him, her eyes flashing with frustration and anger. He sat up straighter, obviously surprised by her outburst.

"Look whatever it is, it can't be that bad," Draco sat back and his face took on his patented smirk. Hermione shook her head and against her will, a tear slid down her cheek.

Hermione took a deep breath. "You don't know how bad it can get. None of us do."

"You think I don't know that?" he asked harshly, his eyes flashing and taking on a silver hue. "I know better than you what it's like to be in the Dark Lord's presence, in his circle, in his control." He said the last word with a shudder and Hermione was surprised at how upset he looked.

"It can't be that bad if you chose to-"

"I didn't choose anything, Granger!" He snapped at her, folding his arms across his chest. "Sometimes…Sometimes you don't have a choice. Sometimes your choices are made for you." He said it softly and slowly and Hermione had a feeling it took a lot for him to say that.

"I can't imagine a Malfoy would let anyone make a choice for him," Hermione said thoughtfully, tilting her head to the side.

Malfoy raised his eyes and looked at her, smiling wryly. "When your choice is life or death, you choose life even if you don't agree with the stipulations."

It was that single sentence that changed everything. As soon as he said it, his expression changed and Hermione knew he was upset with himself for revealing that.

"You can still make your choice, Draco. There _is_ more than one side to this fight."

It was the use of his first name that surprised him the most. His jaw dropped open a little and his eyes widened. He didn't say anything for a long moment. "You and Potter and Weasel will save the day. You always do." there was something in his voice that sounded like a compliment.

"Not this time," she shook her head sadly. "Not if…"

"If what?" Malfoy pressed, leaning forward again. Hermione knew he wasn't dumb- he knew exactly what she was talking about-the rise of the Dark Lord. "You won't save the day 'if' what?" he frowned.

They were almost to the school, the carriage would be stopping in less than a minute and then she could escape the confines of the vehicle and walk up the winding path to the school. Hermione looked him in the eye and forced the words out, "Never mind, Draco. It's not important." Then she was jumping out of the carriage and walking up the path.

"Granger!" She ignored his call and walked faster, intent on getting inside and out of the cold. A loud boom of thunder echoed through the countryside. It was followed by a flash of lightening and then it started raining. Not just raining, but pouring. Buckets and buckets of icy water came down, drenching the two students. The slightly sloping path got slippery and Hermione found it hard to keep her footing. "Granger!"

"What?" she asked for the umpteenth time that day, spinning around to look at him. She gasped when he was directly behind her. She lost her footing while turning and felt herself starting to fall. She prepared herself to hit the now muddy incline but a strong but gentle grip on her arms stopped her. She opened her eyes and looked up into the stormy grey eyes that belonged to Malfoy.

"You _will save the day. You have to," he said the words in a low and even voice that for once held no malice, mocking or hatred in it. _

_Hermione swallowed, the close proximity of being so close to Malfoy making her both nervous. He hauled her to her feet and she slipped a bit, sliding into his tall frame. His hands caught her shoulders and prevented her from knocking them both down. She raised her eyes to look at him, taking in the way his hair was two shades darker when it was wet, plastered to his forehead. Water streamed down both of them, their clothes clinging to their body. Hermione was thankful she hadn't worn a white shirt, but wished now that she was so close to Malfoy that she hadn't worn a top with a v-neck. She licked her lips nervously and looked down. _

"_I don't know how we're going to win," she admitted softly. "We don't know how to defeat-"_

_He cut her off, surprising her by placing a finger against her mouth. He slowly ran his finger straight down across her lips and brushed it against her chin. "We'll figure it out." _

_And it was then that Hermione was certain that that single gold galleon had worked. The wishing well had granted her wish and she'd found the key to defeating Voldemort. It was the most unlikely of people, but she was sure as soon as he said that they'd figure it out together, that Draco Malfoy was indeed the key. Together they could find out Voldemort's weaknesses and they'd save the world. _

_The rain continued to pour down on them and the two allies walked up the muddy slope slowly, hand in hand, guiding one another. Once inside the drafty castle, Hermione pulled out her wand and muttered quick drying spells on them both. When they reached the Great Hall, the two looked at each other awkwardly for a moment. It was an unspoken agreement that they couldn't be seen together. If they were going to figure this out, they needed to do so in secret. If anyone suspected anything it was all over and that was a risk they couldn't take. . _

_Just before he turned to walk into the hall for dinner, she stopped him, a hand on his wrist. _

"_You're wrong about one thing, Malfoy," Hermione said softly, looking him in the eye. He raised an eyebrow at her skeptically, questioning her without speaking. "It won't be the three of us who save the day. It'll be the two of us." _

_Then before he could say anything in response, she dropped his wrist, walked past him and smiled as she sat down at the Gryffindor table. She looked up when she felt eyes on her and from the Slytherin table, he nodded slightly before looking away. Hermione grinned, looking down at her plate as Harry and Ron walked in and sat beside her. _

"_Where'd you run off to Hermione?" Harry asked as he sat beside her. "We looked for you all day." _

"_Oh nowhere, Harry," Hermione shook her head. "I just decided to look for this well that I'd read about the other day."_

"_A well?" Ron wrinkled his nose. "Why?" _

"_Well, it was a wishing well…" Hermione trailed off. _

_Ron laughed at this, "Hermione those are just tales Muggles tell their children! They don't actually exist!" Hermione just smiled and shrugged her shoulders, knowing that they did exist and she'd gotten her wish granted. _

_Authors Note: So I got this idea out of nowhere and I must say this is much more fluffy and friendshipy than I wanted it. Also much shorter. So…what did you guys think? I'm pretty new to writing Hr/D and I wanted to give it a try. It's just some fluff/friendship, but it's a start? So let me know what you guys think with some polite feedback!_

_Thanks!_

_Jen~_


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